


Through The Night

by JustJenLea



Series: She is Love [5]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Babies, Domestic Fluff, Gay Parents, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sitting up all night, sick babies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:35:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24325132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustJenLea/pseuds/JustJenLea
Summary: Reid never knew how strong he was until he had to comfort his sick baby through the night.
Relationships: Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid
Series: She is Love [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1220015
Comments: 2
Kudos: 106





	Through The Night

Everything Reid has read tells him that a fever in a five month old is probably just teething or some minor infection but to keep a close watch on their temperature in case it goes too high. Also, he knows, it is nothing to worry about unless under certain circumstances.

Until now, they've been lucky with Madison. She's never been sick. Then, Morgan brought a cold home from the office and she caught it. He feels horrible but Reid assures him that it's good for immune system.

The FDA doesn't recommend infant cold medicine anymore. Parents had a tendency to overdose accidentally.

Reid thought this ruling was better for everyone involved until the night he sat up with his screaming, congested baby. As he rocks her, he struggles to ignore the smothering scent of Menthol. The best thing they could do, said the pediatrician, was to give her Ibuprofen and turn on a humidifier with a few drops of Menthol added to the water.

Morgan had been up for thirteen hours, refusing help despite being sick. He had gotten her sick. He would deal with her. There was no need for Reid to catch their cold. Yet, when Derek's eyes started glazing over and a thin coat of sweat covered him, Reid had sent him to bed, promising he wouldn't put her down until she went to sleep.

He knows the screaming is her way of expressing how bad she feels. She's never been a big crier. She takes after Morgan in that regard. She only gets this loud when something is wrong. He's only heard her get this way a handful of times. She fusses but never screams.

He stares down at her and their eyes connect. Her big eyes seem to be questioning him, asking why she has to feel this bad and wondering why he can't take it away the way he always has. Reid bites his lip and turns his head, struggling to resist the urge to cry.

There is nothing worse than not being able to help your baby.

He sets her in her crib just for a second. She stops screaming and begins to howl in protest, her arms up and flailing, asking to be picked up. He turns his head, removing his shirt. Skin to skin contact has always worked before. There's no reason why it can't be calming for her now. As he picks her back up and settles in the rocking chair once more, he apologizes for having to put her down. She sniffles, seeming to understand. Then, as she coughs, sort of a dry bark, she begins to wail again.

Reid settles her against his chest about where his heart is. As he rocks, he talks, just wanting to fill the void her screaming has left in the room. He tells her about the world they live in and how he fell in love with her Papa. He tells her how nervous he was before she was born but most of all, how much he loves her.

Sometime in the midst of his rambling, she falls peacefully to sleep, her head still nestled on his chest. He doesn't dare to move, knowing if she sleeps, he may just get her to take a bottle when she wakes up. He manages to doze, just like it was a normal night.

He wakes up to her snuffling and realizes Derek has taken her from his arms. Glancing next to him, he notices a cup of coffee. Looking to the corner across the room, he sees Morgan sitting cross legged on the floor, feeding Madison from a four ounce bottle.

Sipping the coffee, he smiles to himself. Maddie looks a lot better than she seemed when he was sitting up with her.

Glancing over, he knows the worst is over.

Everything will be fine.

***


End file.
